Understanding is Half the Battle
by KitsuneRobyn
Summary: (Prequel to "Someone Who Understands") Gwen and Ben are wisked off to the future where Ben must face something that scares the hell out of him. (Part 1 of my trans!Ben series Mina 10's "Acceptance Arc")
1. Chapter 1

Ben and Gwen put on fake smiles as Grandpa Max left the campsite to get some firewood. When he was out of earshot, they turned on each other in anger.

"You had ONE job Ben!" Gwen exclaimed. "Get a cake for Grandpa's birthday and keep it safe."

"Hey! Is it my fault the cake was destroyed yesterday when Animo attacked?" Ben replied.

"Yes, if you weren't patting yourself on the back, you would've seen his mutant parrot coming and the Rustbucket wouldn't have been flipped!" Gwen replied. "Grandpa only turns 60 once!"

"I know…" Ben sighed. "It's not like I didn't try to stop it." He said somberly. "And I'm sorry... I just need to celebrate victory okay? I need to feel like I'm doing something right…"

Gwen softened up at that. Ben had been talking down on himself a lot lately. "Hey, you do a lot right." She said.

"Yeah… While stumbling through each fight on fake bravado, making mistake after mistake…" He sighed. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this…" He started to walk into the Rustbucket.

"Ben…" Gwen sighed and went to follow. Then a yellow portal opened up, catching both their attentions. A woman flew through the portal and snatched up Gwen. "Help!"

"Hey!" Ben screamed as he activated the Omnitrix and turned into XLR8. He followed the woman holding Gwen through the portal before it closed.

Ben rushed through and tackled the woman, sending her and Gwen flying. He caught Gwen and sped to the other side of this futuristic looking city square.

"Where are we?" Ben asks Gwen.

"I don't know…" She looks around. "Looks like Earth, but there are aliens in the streets and kids riding hoverboards like the one Tetrax gave you… I think we may be in the future."

"Good guess." The woman from before says, flying over to them.

Ben got into a defensive posture in front of Gwen. "Why did you bring us here?" Ben asks.

Before the mysterious woman could answer, Exo-Skull came crashing in. "Tennyson! I'm going to have my revenge!"

"Uh, do I know you?" Ben asks.

"Ha ha, nice try. I'm gonna crush you." He started rushing at Ben.

Ben grabbed Gwen and dodged his attack. Exo-Skull then shot laser blasts towards them, but the woman raised a shield in front of them.

Ben put Gwen down and ran towards the rhino alien, but the Omnitrix decided to time out just then and he went flying into the cyborg.

The mysterious woman started fighting Exo-Skull off when another XLR8 came running onto the scene and fought Exo-Skull. "You looking for me Exo-Skull?" This XLR8 asked in an obviously more feminine voice. She used her speed to literally tear his robotics off and with one final pass, she flipped onto her tail and kicked the rhino under the chin about 100 times in a few seconds. Exo-Skull fell to the ground.

"Back to the Null Void with you." She says, taking a handheld projector out of the bag Ben just noticed she was carrying and shot the cyborg, sending him off in a flash of red light.

Ben was awestruck, she had taken out this huge alien in less than 5 minutes. But he did notice how she was definitely a girl, so he was also confused. 'Maybe she's my daughter or something.' He thought.

The XLR8 ran over to them. "What are these 2 doing here?" She asked the woman. "Send them back Gwendolyn then meet me back at Headquarters." She ordered before running off.

Gwen looked at the woman. "You're me?"

The woman nodded and took off her hood and scarf. "Yes I am Gwen."

Ben looked over and was even more confused now. "You're Gwen?" He asked.

Gwendolyn sighed and nodded. "Yes Ben, though I've gone by Gwendolyn since college."

"I went to college? Was it ivy league? Do I get a doctorate?" Gwen asked in rapid fire questions.

"Gwen I didn't bring you here to spoil your future." Gwendolyn told her.

But before Gwen could complain, Ben interrupted. "Why did you bring us here then?"

"I went back to get you." She replied.

"Why did you take Gwen then?" Ben asked back.

"Because she knew your listening skills are non-existent and that you'd come after her if she took me." Gwen answered for her elder counterpart.

Gwendolyn nodded. "Exactly. As for why, the woman you asked about, the hero you just saw, is not ready for a coming crisis and needs help." She said. "And believe it or not Ben, she is you."

Ben looked flabbergasted. "Me? How could she be me?" He asked, pieces starting to click in his brain and he didn't like the implications.

Gwen looked just as confused. "Some sort of glitch in the watch or something?"

Gwendolyn sighed. 'Oh, I forgot Ben didn't know what those feelings meant at that time…' She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Ben, you know those feelings you have like everything is wrong?" Ben's eyes widened and he nodded. "Well, that's because you're transgender Ben."

Gwen was surprised by this development. "Wait, you're saying that Ben is actually a girl?" She asked, conflicted. "But born a boy?"

"No! It's not true!" Ben burst out before Gwendolyn could confirm. "Sure I can change into aliens... But I'm not that kind of freak!" He had tears in his eyes as he started to run off in a random direction.

Gwen went to run after Ben, but Gwendolyn stopped her. "Ben just needs some time to think… Ben has had years of bigoted talk from our aunt and uncle…" She placed a hand on her younger counterpart's shoulder.

Gwen shook her off and started running in Ben's direction again.

Gwendolyn sighed. She remembered this playing out like this when she was a kid, but it still hurt to see it happen again. She tapped her belt buckle. "Grandpa, I brought Gwen and Ben to the future and they just ran off like I knew they would… Could you go to Sector 28-B, to pick them up?"

"Of course Gwendolyn." Max replied and the com went dead.


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen caught up with Ben pretty quickly He was kicking some litter around. "Ben, you can't just run off like that." She said.

Ben ignored his cousin and kept walking. Gwen followed him until they ended up in a park. Ben sat on a bench and put his face in his hands. His parents drilled it into his head that people who were like that were not normal, were insane… He started crying.

Gwen sat next to him. "Ben…" She said, placing a hand on her cousin's back. "There is nothing wrong with you. Being trans is not a bad thing."

"How is it not?" Ben sobbed. "If I am, I'm insane…"

"Ben you are not insane!" Gwen exclaimed. "Being trans does not mean you're crazy."

"But Dad…" He said between sobs.

"No, Uncle Carl is wrong. He's just prejudiced because it's different." She said sternly, but also looked a little confused. "Which is weird because he knows Grandpa Max was a Plumber."

"No… It's not too weird…" Ben said. "He hates the idea of me spending a summer with Grandpa… Mom convinced him to let me…"

Gwen looked a little shocked. "But every time I see them together, Uncle Carl's civil towards him."

"Again, that's my mom…" He sighed. "You should hear him complain about him at home…"

Gwen sighed, sad to hear that, but glad she got her cousin away from hating himself for now.

A honk came from the closest entrance to the park. Gwen looked and grinned. "Speak of the Devil. Ben!" She said, pointing towards the entrance.

Ben looked and smiled a little at the Rustbucket. Gwen led him to it as an older Max walked out. "Grandpa!" Both kids said as they went and hugged him.

Max chuckled and hugged them back. "Hey! What a great present, seeing you 2 so young again."

"It's good to see you too." Gwen said. "Though, seriously, same shirt? It was 20 years out of style 20 years ago."

"Hey, when you find a look that works." He said with a smile, which fell when he saw how Ben was doing. "You okay kiddo?"

"Yeah… Just fine…" He sighed as he let go of Max and looked away.

Max put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "Gwendalyn told me what's going on Ben." He said.

Ben sighed and nodded. "Can we come inside?" Gwen asked.

"Of course." Max said as he led Ben into the RV and Gwen followed.

Ben took note of how cool it looked in there now, but didn't say anything. They sat down at the RV's table. Ben stared out the window.

"Ben, I know this is all hard to accept…" Max started. "Especially after how my son raised you… And it is not going to be easy…"

Ben teared up a bit. "I still don't know Grandpa… If this is just a nightmare, or some sort of future that isn't exactly mine…" He sighed and tears started falling again. "I just don't know…"

Gwen looked at her cousin. "Ben… You wouldn't be this sad if it didn't didn't make sense…" She said. "Even if it's a dream or an alternate future…"

Max nodded. "It's a tough thing to think about…" He said. "And if you don't want to think about it right now, that's fine, we can just spend time together like old times."

Ben nodded and wiped his tears away. He was going to say something, but was interrupted by a beeping in Max's pocket. Max took out a disk with the same symbol as the Omnitrix on it and a hologram of Gwendolyn showed up. "Grandpa, Fort DNA X is under attack, it's Animo."

He nodded and got up. "You up to a little hero work Ben?"

He nodded, still looking sad, but a glind of determination shown in his eyes.

Max got into the front seat and switched the Rustbucket from land to flying mode and they took off towards Sector 15-D.

Everyone was quiet on the flight there, Gwen unsure what to say while Ben just focused on the Omnitrix, cycling through his aliens over and over trying to choose which one to use.

After a few minutes they stopped. "We're here." Max said.

The kids got up and went to leave the RV. "Aren't you coming Grandpa?" Ben asked.

"No, you haven't needed me for nearly a year." He sighed.

Ben and Gwen frowned and left the RV, Ben activating the Omnitrix and going Stinkfly.

Mina was not having the best of times. Her mind was elsewhere, allowing Animo to gain the upper hand. She was currently in her Four Arms form, but with all this form's strength, Animo's new Gorilla body was an equal match. She tried to press an opening she saw, but Animo countered and sent her flying into the white walls. He then ripped a cryo pod from the wall and threw it at her.

This was when Ben arrived and started shooting slime at Animo. "Really Animo? Ran out of test subjects?" He taunted.

"Another Tennyson?" Animo growled.

Mina changed into Big Chill and phased through the pod. "Get out of here kid." She said to her younger self.

"As if." Ben replied and started sliming Animo again.

Animo, over his initial shock, charged Ben. He tried to fly away, but Animo's enhanced reflexes caught his tail and threw him towards Mina, who just went intangible and soared towards Animo, Ben slamming into the cracked pod, remains of some disfigured alien falling out onto Ben. Mina then started freezing Animo's body with her ice breath.

Gwen caught up and noticed how the fight was going. She ran over to Ben. "Ben! Get up!" She called.

Ben shook his head and took off again. "Animo is more dangerous now and you don't have your bo staff." He told Gwen. "Go back to the Rustbucket, we have this covered."

Gwen went to argue, but Ben took off towards the fight. Gwen however stayed where she was and tried to figure out how to get into the fight.

Animo broke out of the ice encasing him and screamed in rage. Ben pelted him with slime while Mina shot another breath of ice at him. Mina turned to Ben as Animo was frozen again. "I told you to get out." She said in a raspy voice.

"Why? He was kicking your butt before I got here." Ben replied.

"Because you're too inexperienced." She replied coldly. Animo broke out of the ice again and swatted Mina and Ben while they were distracted.

Mina recovered quickly and froze Ben's legs to the ground. "Stay put." She said as she changed into another alien Ben has never seen, this being Humungousaur. Mina charged Animo and threw him into a wall before beating him down.

Gwen ran over and tried to release Ben's legs from the ice. As they freed his legs, the Omnitrix timed out and the battle was over, Animo seeming to be out for the count.

Right then 3 aliens teleported in. One was a tall male alien that had grey skin, the stereotypical superhero build and a large U on his yellow uniform, his name Ultimos. The next was a floating octopus alien whose head was a clear dome, showing his brain and face, this was Synaptak. The last one was a tall, female, 4 armed red humanoid with very defined muscles (looking a lot like Mina's Four Arms transformation), she had long black hair and was wearing something you wouldn't find out of place on a Valkyrie, this one was Tini. These were the Galactic Enforcers.

"I heard there was trouble?" Ultimos said rather than asked in a pompous voice. "The Galactic Enforcers are here!" He then noticed noticing the fight was over. He deflated and flew over to Mina. "Really Mina? The Earth is a big place, you could leave some criminals for us."

Mina turned into Fasttrack, causing Ultimos to cover his eyes from the green flash. "I told you before. I don't need your help keeping the Earth safe." She said coldly. "But I have another problem to deal with, so would you send Animo to the Null Void for me?"

Ultimos sighed. "Okay Mina." He said.

She nodded and sped over the Ben and Gwen, picking them up and running through the streets towards HQ.

After she left, Animo laughed and got up as the Enforcers approached, shocking them. "Ha, I guess playing possum still works." They started to fight, only to be quickly overpowered by Animo and sent flying. He then ripped another pod from the wall and threw it at his disoriented opponents, knocking them out. He laughed maniacally as he went over to a specific pod and opened it, revealing the mutilated remains of the Tennysons' greatest enemy. "Good to see you Mr. Vilgax." Animo said as he used his mutation ray on the remains.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben was quiet as Mina sped them through the city, though he was angry she had tried to sideline him, he decided to use this time to sort through his thoughts on the events of the day so far.

Gwen on the other hand decided to speak up. "Benjamina Tennyson, where do you get off?" She asked in annoyance, having figured out her name from the short form Ultimos called her. "Gwendolyn brought us to help, and you want to treat us coldly, like we're not supposed to be here! When did you turn into such a damn ice queen?"

Mina didn't respond, but annoyance was clear on her face. Ben on the other hand, smiled a bit at his cousin. "Yeah, and aren't you supposed to remember how this all happened if you really are future me?" Ben asked as they arrived at HQ. "Are you being such an outright bitch out of obligation, or did I just turn out to be this cold." Gwen smiled a bit, normally she would have told Ben off for using language like that, but she agreed with him using it this time.

Mina brought them up to the top floor quickly and set them down while she busied herself. "Not even going to give me an answer I see." Ben said, his bottled up emotions turning into anger, that started to seep into his voice. "You too scared to answer your younger self?"

Mina growled. She did remember bits and pieces of this when she was a kid, but like all her adventures back then, the memories were fragmented from the passage of time. "I don't have to answer to you kid." She said bitterly.

"Is that how you treat everyone?" Ben asked in rage. "It's a wonder that you're still a hero with that attitude."

She broke. "And what do YOU know about be a hero you brat?" She walked towards Ben. "You're just an immature little fuck who just wants the glory!" She went to continue, but Gwendolyn walked into the room. "Ah, Gwendolyn, send them back now, I'm going back out on patrol." She said, anger still prevalent in her voice, before running out of the still closing door.

Gwendolyn sighed and walked over to the kids. But stopped when she saw that Ben was fuming and Gwen was trying to calm him down, knowing what comes next.

"Just who does she think she is?" Ben screamed. "As stupid as I can be, I'd NEVER be like that towards family. And I just want the glory? HA! That's rich. It's nice and all, but I'm a hero to help people, not to be recognized! Sure I can act like that but..." He deflated a lot.

Gwen cocked an eyebrow. "But what Ben?" She asked.

Ben sighed. "But that's only on days I can't help but hate myself…" Ben said, barely audible. Gwen's face softened and she hugged her cousin. "Times I wish you or grandpa got the Omnitrix…"

Gwen hugged him tighter then let go. "Ben, you know I'll always be there for you. Whether you're acting like a doofus or not." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Grandpa Max is too. Just come to us if you need help."

Ben sniffed quietly. "You won't see me as weak if I do?" He asked.

"No we won't." Gwen said firmly. "Even heroes need to talk about things like this." She took her arm back from Ben's shoulder and nudged it with her fist. "But this doesn't mean you're off the hook from any teasing." She said with a laugh.

Despite himself, Ben chuckled too. "Neither are you Dweeb."

Gwendolyn smiled as she watched them laugh together. But she was brought out of her musings when a warning came from her cat belt buckle. She walked up to the kids. "You ready to go hero again?" She asked. "And prove Mina wrong about you?"

Ben nodded, face turning serious. "Of course." He said. "Where is the problem?"

Gwen nodded herself. "And I'm not sitting this one out." She said, grabbing a spare pipe and twirling it like a bo staff.

Gwendolyn went to a terminal and gasped. "It's right here, 35 levels down." She said.

Ben nodded and activated the Omnitrix and turned into XLR8. "Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

Animo was in the Null Void Chamber and used his large gorilla fingers to expertly to begin the opening process for the gate to Null Void.

Mina ran into the room. "Trying to release all your mutated animals Animo?" Mina asked, still in her Fasttrack form. A bright green flash enveloped her, showing her to have changed forms into a 12ft tall, light brown humanoid dinosaur brute of an alien, she had a feminine figure with decently large breasts on her chest, she was wearing what looked like a green sports bra and shorts. This is Humungousaur. "It's over."

"Oh, but it's only just beginning." A sinister voice said with an evil chuckle. The owner of the voice looked like a 13ft humanoid embodiment of CThulhu, tall green humanoid with squid tentacles down from his chin like a beard, a tube of bubbling green liquid went from one cheek to the other behind his head, his right arm was long and buff with a clawed hand, while his left was bigger, spikes going up the outside of it and what looked like a launcher on his wrist, his legs proportionate to his body. He was wearing a black and red suit over his chest and legs.

Surprise and horror flash over Mina's face. "Vilgax!?" She gasped as he rushed her. She dodged a few blows, landed a couple punches before Vilgax sent her flying into a wall and then rushed her again, this time sending them both through the wall. Animo started to open the gate wider.

This is when XLR8, Gwen and Gwendolyn ran into the room. "It's time to take you down Animo." Ben said, before he noticed Vilgax and Mina fighting. "Wait Vilgax?" He asked surprised. "I have him, you guys get Animo." The Gwens nodded as XLR8 rushing to hemp Mina while Gwendolyn and Gwen started to fight off Animo.

 **((I'm sorry, I may be (somewhat) decent at writing battles, but rewriting one, especially since I wanted to drag this one on longer than it did in the show to show off more aliens Mina has and how Vilgax can stop them with the mutations Animo gave him, really is intimidating… it took a month to write anything decent and it still sucked, so I'm just gonna skip most the battle and get to just after they crash to street level and Max joins the Gwens))**

The separate battles went poorly, the Gwens were on the defensive against Animo, while Vilgax just seemed to be able to counter every single alien either Ben or Mina threw at him. The Omnitrix bearers got a brief respite when Max showed up and blasted Vilgax into the wall of the building, but Ben told him to help the Gwens, which he left to do. But with them distracted, Vilgax caught them by surprise and threw himself and both of them off the building into the streets below. Inside, with Max's help, the Gwens took Animo down and closed the Null Void Gate.

On the street, the combatants started recovering from the impact. Ben as Cannonbolt got himself up and walked over to Mina (who was behind an upturned bus that was parked on the street). She was in her Snare-oh form, completely unraveled to prevent her from harm from her landing. She reassembled herself quickly. Close by, Vilgax was getting himself up, looking around as he had lost track of them.

"When was the last time you were human?" Ben asked Mina, "Because from what I've seen, you haven't transformed back since Gwen and I got here."

"That's because I haven't since you've been here." Mina said. "Or for the last couple months… There has been no need for me to be."

Ben was shocked for a second, but changed his expression to determination with a new idea. "And before that, how often were you human?"

"Next to none of the time while I was on the job." She said. "Why?"

"Because Vilgax knows how all your aliens fight, but does he remember how Mina Tennyson fights?" He asked, feeling a little weird to say her name, but he pushed that aside.

Mina looked a little dumbfounded by the suggestion, but recovered quickly. "Interesting idea…" She said to herself. She didn't want to be her human self after what happened, but Ben brought up a good point. 'Better now than never I guess...' She thought. She then went up to Ben and smacked the Omnitrix symbol, turning him into Diamondhead before turning herself human.

Ben stared at her for a second, taking in how she looked. She was 5'11 with a toned body, her long brown hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing a green and black skintight one piece suit that covered her deck to toe, besides her hands, with what could only be described as a utility belt at her waist. Mina noticed him staring, so he looked away. She took a small box from her belt and pressed a button, revealing a large hoverboard.

"Just follow my lead." She said, taking off on the board. She flew towards Vilgax, Ben running in after her.

"You're weak human form, what a novelty." Vilgax said with a chuckle. "Finally surrendering to me?"

"Far from it." She said, swooping in and away from Vilgax and his attacks.

After a minute, Vilgax launched his tendril and hit the board. Mina was expecting this though and jumped last second and did a roundhouse kick into Vilgax's face. Vilgax staggered back a bit, but recovering quickly. But that was all the time Mina needed to turn into Spitter and knock Vilgax to the edge of one of the city's canals. Mina then turned into Buzzshock and started electrocuting him. Ben took this as his opportunity to jump out and slam his fist into the ground, creating a flow of crystal in front of him from the ground to knock Vilgax into the water. Mina then turned into Arctiguana and froze the canal solid before Vilgax could either transform into his true form or escape the water.

"Cool. What do you call those ones?" Ben asked Mina.

She sighed. "I haven't used names for my forms in years." She explained, turning back human. "If I remember right, I think they were Gusher, Megawatt and Absolute Zero." (Mina renamed a bunch of aliens later in life after not using them for years.)

"Really? I thought Spitter, Buzzshock and Arciguana would be good for them." He said.

Then it hit Mina. "Yes, those are their names! I couldn't remember what they were called since I didn't use them for over 5 years in my 20's." She smiled a bit.

Ben just looked at her a little dumbstruck as his Omnitrix timed out.

The Omnitrix wielders met back up with the Gwens and Max soon after the battle. They went back to Mina's HQ.

Gwendolyn had led Grandpa Max out of the room so Mina could 'speak' with Ben and Gwen, and the 3 got stuff ready quickly. As Max walked back into the room, everyone smiled at him. "Happy Birthday Grandpa!" they cheered.

Max smiled. "What a great 80th birthday present, having you all here." He said, walking over and hugging his grandchildren.

After the party was over, Gwendolyn and Mina got their younger selves ready to go back to their time.

"Here Ben." Mina tossed a storage cube at him, which he caught.

"What's this?" Ben asked.

"Something Animo destroyed." Was all she said as the kids were ushered through the portal.

Gwendolyn put a hand of Mina's shoulder. "Gonna stay human for a while now?" She asked.

Mina sighed. "I guess…"

"Kai's death wasn't your fault, she's the one who decided to come to your rescue..." Gwen said, hugging Mina, who returned it and sobbed into her cousin's shoulder. "Kai gave her life so that you could live… And Kendra is healthy and almost ready to leave the incubator… Honour her memory by taking care of the daughter she gave you, and not running away."

Mina nodded, but still cried into Gwendolyn's shoulder.

Max came back into the camp with the firewood, but didn't see his grandchildren. "Kids?"

Max heard a strange sound behind him and he looked to see Ben and Gwen smiling, holding a cake (that was in the storage box). "Happy Birthday Grandpa!"

Max smiled and too the cake from them. "Aww, thanks kids." He said, putting the cake down on a picnic table and hugging his grandkids.


End file.
